AHA Collaborative Sciences Award Grant

AHA Collaborative Sciences Award Grant

Status: ACTIVE
Funder: American Heart Association
Amount: US $750,000
Last Updated: August 22, 2025

Summary

The AHA Collaborative Sciences Award aims to promote innovative research by pairing investigators from diverse disciplines to tackle cardiovascular issues. Funded by the American Heart Association, this award supports collaboration between established and early-career researchers. Projects must involve at least two co-principal investigators from different fields, and funding is set at $250,000 per year for three years, totaling $750,000. This initiative encourages novel ideas and interdisciplinary partnerships to enhance research outcomes.

Overview

NOTE: Due to recent changes in federal funding for biomedical research, this program is on hiatus for the FY 25-26 year. Purpose The purpose of the AHA Collaborative Sciences Award is to foster innovative collaborative approaches to research projects that propose novel pairings of investigators from at least two broadly disparate disciplines. The proposal must focus on the collaborative relationship, such that the scientific objectives could not be achieved without the efforts of at least two co-principal investigators and their respective disciplines. The combination and integration of studies may be inclusive of basic, clinical, population, behavioral, and/or translational research. Projects must include at least one Co-PI from a field outside cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease. This award is also intended to foster collaboration between established and early- or mid-career investigators. Applications by existing collaborators are permitted, provided that the proposal is for a new and novel idea or approach that has not been funded before. Budget $250,000 per year, including 10% institutional indirect costs.The award may be used for salary and fringe benefits of the Co-principal investigators, collaborating investigator(s), and other participants with faculty appointments, consistent with percent effort, and for project-related expenses, such as salaries of technical personnel essential to the conduct of the project, supplies, equipment, computers/electronics, travel (including international travel), volunteer subject costs, data management, and publication costs, etc.AHA does not require use of the NIH salary cap.Award Duration: Three yearsTotal Award Amount: $750,000

Eligibility

You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website. An application must be submitted jointly by at least two co-principal investigators, but no more than four.At least one Co-PI must work in cardiovascular or cerebrovascular-related research.At least one Co-PI must work in a divergent/disparate discipline (e.g. engineering, computer science, chemistry, mathematics, psychology, health law, etc.) and/or without prior focus in cardiovascular or cerebrovascular-related research.At least one Co-PI must be an early-career (assistant professor or equivalent) or mid-career (associate professor or equivalent) investigator.Co-PIs must each hold faculty/staff appointments.Co-PIs must be independent researchers (i.e. must meet their institutions’ eligibility to apply for independent awards). This award is not intended for individuals in research training or fellowship positions.Co-PIs may be from the same institution, or from different institutions.Co-PIs must be from different disciplines and/or areas of expertise. For example: A collaboration between a clinician and a basic scientist or other collaboration that would not arise otherwise (organically).The applicants should adequately convey that they are of equal stature in the project.If more than three co-PIs are proposed, the applicants should provide clear evidence that they are equal co-PIs. If this will not be the case, then the applicants should classify additional personnel as collaborating investigators or consultants.Each Co-PI must hold an M.D., Ph.D., D.O., D.D.S., D.V.M. or equivalent post-baccalaureate terminal (highest-level) degree in his/her discipline.One of the Co-PIs’ institutions must be designated as the institution of record, agreeing to sponsor the application and accept award payments and ensuring that annual progress reports and expenditure reports are submitted to AHA.While no minimum percent effort is specified, the Co-PIs must demonstrate that adequate time will be devoted to ensuring the successful completion of the proposed project. Institutional EligibilityAHA research awards are limited to U.S.-based non-profit institutions, including medical, osteopathic, and dental schools, veterinary schools, schools of public health, pharmacy schools, nursing schools, universities and colleges, public and voluntary hospitals and others that can demonstrate the ability to conduct the proposed research.Visa RequirementsEach applicant must have one of the following designations at the time of proposal submission – not award start date, depending on career stage and each individual’s situation.An awardee must maintain one of the designations listed below throughout the duration of the award. Please consult with your institution’s grant officer.U.S. citizenPermanent residentPending permanent resident (must have filed Form I-485 for permanent resident status and obtained an I-797C Notice of Action that the application has been received by USCIS and case is pending)E-3 Visa - specialty occupation workerF-1 Visa – student (for predoctoral and postdoctoral fellows only)G-4 Visa - family member of an international organization employeeH1-B Visa - temporary worker in a specialty occupationJ-1 Visa - exchange visitor (pre- and postdoctoral fellowships only; all other awardees must obtain an H-1B or equivalent by the award activation date)O-1 Visa - temporary worker with extraordinary abilities in the sciencesTN Visa - NAFTA ProfessionalDACA - Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals You must be a member of this organization to apply for this award - become a member. Join or begin the membership process well before the deadline. The AHA expects all mentors associated with training/mentored research awards to maintain active AHA membership, as well.

Ineligibility

An applicant may be the Co-PI on only one Collaborative Sciences Award proposal per deadline.A Collaborative Sciences awardee may also apply for or hold another AHA research award (e.g., Established Investigator Award, Innovative Project Award, Transformational Project Award, AHA Institutional Research Enhancement Award, or Career Development Award) and may be the program director or sponsor on an AHA Institutional Undergraduate Fellowship Program award.Strategically Focused Research Network personnel may hold individual AHA awards, including a Collaborative Sciences Award.Awards are not intended to supplement or duplicate currently funded work. Rather, it is expected that submitted applications will describe projects that are clearly distinct from ongoing research activities. Minor variations from existing research projects are not sufficient to constitute independent and distinct projects.